The Remaining Bullets and Embers
by My-name-is-foxglove
Summary: Happy Birthday hand-made-city! /RoyAi 50 sentences/ Promise: "One day, we can walk side by side with no worries at all."


**Title: The Remaining Bullets and Embers  
Fandom:** Fullmetal Alchemist  
**Pairing:** RoyAi  
**Theme set:** Gamma  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Warning[s]:** Spoilers

Author's Note: Happy Birthday hand-made-city!! I'm so sorry I posted this late but my internet connection went berserk at the last minute!!! ;_; Forgive me!!

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**Ring**

Perhaps she would never get a diamond ring, Riza mused as she and her Colonel marched off to the final battle, perhaps she would never get the wedding every woman dreamed about, or the happily ever after so treasured in story books- however, as she met onyx eyes, she realised she didn't care.

**Hero**

He hated the word 'hero'; it was a bitter reminder of what he'd wanted and what he'd done- and what he'd made her do.

**Memory**

Roy liked to amuse his daughter with a bedtime story; his favourite was the one about her twelve year old mother insisting on following his younger self everywhere while he would irately tell her to go home- what Roy didn't mention however, Riza later told her daughter with a mischievous tone, was how he would anxiously look behind him to make sure she didn't trip, or hold her hand when she was crossing a river- and immediately drag her back home whenever other boys started to look at her.

**Box**

It's just a box Roy, he told himself as he panicked, just a box, a box, a box, a box (but it was the shining jewel inside the box and her unaware amber eyes that made it so hard to take it out and give it to her).

**Run**

Their subordinates noticed Roy and Riza were very alike when the two simultaneously ordered each other to run away from the homunculi- and simultaneously refused.

**Hurricane**

Not even the forces of Mother Nature could compare to how easily his Lieutenant grabbed his attention.

**Wings**

They could never be called angels after all they'd done- and frankly he didn't want her to be called one; a spiritless, winged being, soaring above the world and forever separate from a sinner like him; the thought was terrifying beyond belief.

**Cold**

Everyone was gone, transferred, and so was she, and he'd never felt so alone and so _cold_ inside- he kept turning on the radiators, playing with fire, but nothing replaced what he so badly needed.

**Red**

Though no one ever dared to speak of it, all of Roy's subordinates remembered the day his first lieutenant had gotten shot on a mission and how he'd panicked, eyes wide, voice high and hoarse and choked as he frantically tried to stem the flow of red blood from her shoulder, so irrational with fear that it had fallen onto Fuery to call for medical services.

**Drink**

On hot days they'd watch each other- watch the sweat caress each other's faces in their place, watch throats move as water was slowly gulped down, drink in the flashes of exposed skin that came along with discarded clothing due to the unbearable heat- and it was on those days that everyone else in the office always made excuses to go out (because they always felt they were intruding on something so very intimate and private and forbidden).

**Midnight**

He knew she loved midnight- the pass into another day with them both still together, still alive, that she treasured so.

**Temptation**

He glances down at her sleeping form (_it would be easy, so, so easy to_), and slowly, not even aware of his actions, he leans down, onyx eyes transfixed on her peaceful face (_kiss her, just once, just once,_) leaning closer and closer (_no one would ever know)- _he straightens up at the last moment, flustered, quickly covers her with his jacket and heads out, feeling uncomfortable (_but neither would she_).

**View**

14 year old Roy Mustang hissed from his position against his bedroom window as he witnessed the boy down the street flirt with his teacher's innocent, confused daughter- he furiously began marching down the stairs, promising himself the boy would be so traumatised (and** bruised** and **bloodied**) that he wouldn't dare even think about ever again glancing at (_Roy's) _Riza.

**Music**

Neither of the two was a fan of music, but the soothing sounds of his teasing 'Lieutenant' and her half-scolding 'Colonel' were as beautiful and calming as any melody.

**Silk**

When a strand of her hair accidentally touches his cheek, Roy starts at first, but then relaxes and gives a hidden, rare smile (through the years, its softness hasn't changed at all).

**Cover**

She knew when he appointed her as his aide that he was really saying, 'So I'll cover for you, and you'll cover for them, and they'll cover for others, but could you please cover for me too? (_I need you more than they do_).'

**Promise**

"One day, we can walk side by side with no worries at all."

**Dream**

She dreamed about it sometimes; the two of them on the river-bank, laughing, happy, innocent, unknowing of what was to come upon them and so, so carefree.

**Candle **

"This is a candle you lit," she told him "This is a light of hope- one that you made...as long as you don't let the candle finish, don't let yourself give in, don't let the winds of doubt extinguish it- this light will always be here, and it will shine on you, the one who lit it- and it will prove you are not a monster- now, you are not a hero, neither am I- but you _are not_- nor will you _ever be_ if I have anything to say about it- nor have you _ever been_a monster- understand?"

**Talent**

She wonders how he knows exactly when she needs to hear his voice.

**Silence**

And it was so silent in the hospital, and he could still only barely hear her breathing and he was begging her now, almost crying _please, please, please wake up, talk to me, look at me, please, please, don't leave me, you can't, not you, anyone but you, please wake up, wake up and talk to me Riza, Riza, Riza please, please Riza, please_--

**Journey**

"I'm back," she whispered through her oxygen mask and he finally let two quiet streaks of tears flow down his cheeks, holding her hand so tightly, afraid to let go, his voice choking out "...welcome back."

**Fire**

They both didn't know what to think of fire; it was what pulled them together, (but also what pulled them apart and hurt them so much), it saved his life and her life, (but it took so many other innocent lives)...it was there, and that was it.

**Strength**

He wondered sometimes if she knew how weak he was when she was taken away from him- not helpless, certainly not, otherwise he'd never survive- but weak, so weak; he laughed at his own foolishness, of course she knew- she knew him too well not to.

**Mask**

Most people thought Riza Hawkeye was putting on a mask of composure while deep down she panicked, other people thought she was simply raised to put up a mask and hide her feelings on the matter; but they all agreed on one thing- her mask of calmness broke (and it broke so, so much) when her Colonel was in danger.

**Ice**

The poor, unfortunate souls that had been unlucky enough to harm that man's 1st Lieutenant would forever remember the coldness of his eyes (black ice, they'd think, black, black ice, unnatural, **terrifying black ice**) amidst the pain of his burning hot flames.

**Fall**

He only remembered one time she was clumsy; when they were coming back from getting the groceries, she'd tripped over something on the road and fallen onto him, making him also fall to the ground- and though Roy couldn't remember in much detail, he remembered her flushed face, his thudding heart, the way their faces seemed to be getting closer and closer- and how he'd cursed and cursed and endlessly cursed the rain when it decided to start pouring on the two at that exact moment.

**Forgotten**

Sometimes, he was scared he'd forgotten how to say her name- it had been so long since he'd called her by it; (then he'd hesitantly whisper it under his breath when no one was around, and sigh in relief at the same wonderful sound, the same sweet taste on his tongue).

**Dance**

"They make it look so easy in the movies," he muttered, annoyed as he attempted to lead her in a waltz around the Hawkeye's old living room; she held back a laugh, but he saw her eyes sparkling in amusement anyway, and let a fond smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

**Body**

She has many scars (not to mention a giant array) on her body, he knows that- but to him, her entire being is more perfect than even the most flawless, silk-like skin.

**Sacred**

Havoc has a panicked face as he forcefully drags the newbie away from his Colonel's private office; there are certain days in the calendar where the Flame Alchemist and his aide should never be disturbed (days when his gaze is always on her back and she makes no objection when he drinks).

**Farewells**

"We'll meet again," – he couldn't bear to say anything else, reminding himself of when he would see her next, instead of remembering the ominous empty days he would soon spend without her.

**World**

There is a certain level of importance in every human being's mind; and in the end, both she and he are much more important than the rest of the world.

**Formal**

When she enters the room, Roy turns a brilliant shade of scarlet as he chokes on expensive wine- part awe at her beauty, and part rage at the straying eyes of other men.

**Fever**

He's always had a problem with jealousy when it came to his 1st Lieutenant; like a fever, whenever he sees her with anyone else, his entire being _burns_ and it's suddenly so hard to breathe- he is never well again until she is by his side, making him feel better.

**Laugh**

When Riza laughed for the very first time, Roy swore he saw an angel.

**Lies**

"I'm fine," she says, and as her shaking voice filters through the phone, he suddenly feels so very insecure- because _she has never lied to him before._

**Forever**

It would take much longer than forever to even make a crack on their solid bond.

**Overwhelmed**

Suddenly, he is everywhere; his lips on hers, tongue in her mouth, hands on her face and waist and his hoarse, hoarse voice ringing in her ears as he murmurs her name.

**Whisper**

"Can you follow me forever?"

**Wait**

Never has time passed so slowly and so agonisingly than it did when she waited outside his hospital room, not even allowed to ask of his condition, the doctor's hurrying in with nurses and beeping and she already thought she'd lost him once, she couldn't lose him again (s_he was so, so scared._)

**Talk**

He refuses to simply give her a talk about her responsibility to the military (_and him_) or how enemies are never to be believed (_did she really think he would leave her so easily?_); and he is so furious, so outrageously angry at the thought that it was even _possible_ for her to go before him- his shouted reprimands echo across the room as a result.

**Search**

He wonders where the days when he could call her 'Riza' have gone.

**Hope**

It is his random phone calls and her routine presence that keeps both of them sane.

**Eclipse**

"Mr Mustang, stop studying and come here- it's almost over!"

**Gravity**

She makes sure he remains on Earth, by her side, on the right path- because that is her duty and also her life line.

**Highway**

He doesn't care about what Scar or Fullmetal says- all he knows is that _it killed his best friend_ – but then she is in his way and things aren't so simple anymore.

**Unknown**

Those who see them are constantly puzzled by the bond between the two- as they should be, because only Roy and Riza could see the red string dangling between their hands.

**Lock**

It's as if he walked into her heart, locked the door and threw away the key- and then set about removing everything but himself from within it.

**Breathe**

Roy and Riza only need each other to live.


End file.
